Dust and Gold
by YamiAkane97
Summary: Kuroko's father dies in a car accident, leaving Tetsuya and his mother with nothing. He gives up on school and basketball to support himself and his mother. Years later, Kagami meets Kuroko again. But he's no longer the teen Kagami once knew. AU, OOC, YAOI, LEMONS/LIMES.
1. Chapter 1

Kuroko had awoken to his mother screaming.

He'd gone to bed as usual; Nigou curled up at the foot of his bed. His neat and tidy room hardly seemed out of place, despite the numerous amounts of homework sheets strewn around the desk by the window. The white was walls hung pictures of Kuroko's friends and posters of famous basketball players. The typical kind of room for Kuroko Tetsuya. He was wearing a simple white shirt and pale blue pajama shorts with matching socks.

He was startled awake from his sleep and was at first disorientated. He sat up abruptly and looked about the room for the source of the noise with newfound alert eyes. He darted out of his bed; Nigou following him closely and practically bolted toward the living room.

He found his mother there, crumpled on the floor with her wild brown hair shielding her face. The door wide open with a grim looking police officer standing in the doorway. His hat was off and his head was tilted down a little in an apologetic bow. When he saw Kuroko, his eyes became soft and he mumbled a quite apology.

Kuroko had never heard his mother scream like that before, and he wasn't quite sure how he knew it was his mother. But he knew, after standing there frozen in the living room staring at his heartbroken mother, that nothing was alright. His mother, who'd always gone through everything with a smile on her face now looked like a broken, lifeless puppet. Her breaths were hard and labored, like she'd run a marathon.

"Mother?" He said quietly, almost afraid that any loud noise might make her start screaming again.

Her head snapped up and her watery blue eyes met with Kuroko's matching ones. Her eyes were rimmed with redness from the tears and he could see her body trembling.

"Tetsuya….." She whispered softly before her face contorted and she burst into fresh sobs. The sobs quickly became wails, and the officer looked slightly out of place.

"What's going on?" Kuroko demanded harshly, his eyes flashing to the officer.

"…..There's been an accident…. Regarding your father…."

The officer had said it loud enough for Kuroko to hear, but the words still hadn't registered in Kuroko's head. The man may as well have spoken French. Kuroko only then realized that his father was missing.

"What do you mean?" He asked slowly. Nothing could have happened to his father. His father was a strong, kind man who'd do anything for his family. The thought of losing him was unbearable.

"Your father was killed in a head on collision whilst driving home from work. I'm soo sorry for your loss…." The officer trailed off, giving him yet another bow.

His mother's crying grew louder, and soon it was the only sound Kuroko could hear. He stood there, frozen in his pajamas while listening to his mother cry, too numb to think or move. He heard the officer give him one last apology, before closing the front door with a click.

Slowly, Kuroko crumpled to the floor beside his mother.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

"Hey, where's Kuroko today?"

The question caused the whole Seirin team to stop what they were doing and look about, as though expecting to spot the blue haired team member standing in plain view. However, they were disappointed to see that Kagami was right, Kuroko was nowhere to be found.

"Huh? That's odd. Kuroko's not the type to skip practice…" Riko frowned. And she was right; it wasn't like Kuroko to miss practice. Especially not when the Cup was fast approaching.

"Maybe he's sick?" Koganei suggested with a shrug.

Kagami bounced the ball once, his mind on his blue haired friend. Despite Koganei's helpful suggestion, it didn't seem like Kuroko to just skip practice just because he was sick. Maybe it was more serious? Maybe Kuroko was too weak to get up from bed and desperately needed attention. He stopped the ball and shook his head. No, Kuroko would have found a way to contact the team if it was something that serious to let them know why he hadn't shown up. Yet a quick glance at his phone informed him that it wasn't the case.

"I think we should go pay him a visit. There could be something seriously wrong with him." Kagami said finally. Riko's eyebrows shot up. The thought of their star player in jeopardy alarmed, and she inwardly praised Kagami for the suggestion.

"I agree, Kagami-kun. He might need help." Riko told them. Kagami gave her a curt nod.

"But maybe he just wants to be left alone…." Hyuga muttered.

"And not call us or the school?" Kagami growled, "That's not like him."

They eventually agreed to go to his house after practice just to check on him. Riko announced that she'd pull a few stings and see if she could find out his home address from the school office. She left shortly afterwards for the office, leaving Hyuga in charge.

However, for the remainder of practice, Kagami couldn't keep himself focused. He was truly worried about his shadow. He was perhaps the weakest member on the team, yet the most effective player. For his age, Kuroko was rather small and thin. It worried him that he could possibly be injured or ill. Not because it would affect the teams game play, but because he generally cared about the smaller teen.

When Riko retured, they all stopped and looked at her expectantly. However, she looked off. Her usually bright, determined face now looked shocked and pale. Like someone had startled her. Hyuga quickly hurried over.

"Riko, what's wrong?" He asked quickly, concern quickly flashing in his eyes as he looked her over. Riko shook her head and opened her mouth to speak.

"I….I don't know. I asked the office for Kuroko's home address and they told me not to bother. They said he'd moved houses and transferred to a different school."

The team was stunned. No one spoke. Kagami couldn't understand what she was saying. Kuroko was gone? He'd moved away without even telling them? It… it didn't seem right.

"What do you mean?" Koganei asked, "Did you at least ask where he transferred to?"

Riko shook her head, "They said they didn't know. They only had a phone call from Kuroko's mother saying that he was no longer going to be attending school anymore."

The team went silent after that.

Nobody had it in them to practice anymore. They went home in silence. It was too hard to believe. Kuroko wouldn't just up and leave without informing them beforehand. And it all seemed way too sudden. Kagami was having the most trouble adjusting. His thoughts kept circling around the previous conversation as he walked home. What on Earth could have made Kuroko leave so suddenly, without even mentioning it to his team? The teen had always made sure to inform the team of anything that might affect them. So why did he suddenly stop now?

Kagami growled under his breath and cursed. Something was defiantly wrong. And he wanted to know what.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

Akashi stiffened suddenly at the dinner table, his fork held suspended in his hand halfway towards his mouth. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was wrong. He set down the fork beside his plate neatly and fumbled for his cell phone. He didn't have to worry about disapproving looks from his parents or older siblings as they were all away on business. The long twelve seated table was empty save for himself.

Nothing seemed out of place as he checked his message. However, he liked to make sure. He sent a quick message to Midorima, telling him to go check up on the other members of their old team. Feeling satisfied, he returned to his meal.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

**So… Um…. Tell me what you think? **

**-YamiAkane97**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'd like to thank Aliyss, TheReiHani and BlazeMary for the reviews. You're all amazing! Also, thanks to those who faved and/or alerted. Every one of them made me so happy!**

A week had passed and there wasn't a single word from Kuroko.

Kagami was desperate for information. Midorima had show up two days after Kuroko's disappearance claiming that he needed to speak with Kuroko. Obviously, he had no idea about where Kuroko had gone which only continued to frustrate Kagami. He'd been stunned to learn the news of his disappearance. He immediately left to make a phone call. Not a day later, Akashi had arrived at the school himself, demanding that Seirin tell him everything they knew.

Not long after he'd shown up, the other members of the Generation of Miracles arrived all looking shocked and confused. Aomine had made a few threats, promising to murder anyone who would so much as hurt a hair on Kuroko's head. Murasakibura simply looked put out, trying to piece together information with the rest of them. And for once, Kise remained quiet through their discussion.

After sharing all they knew with Kuroko's ex-team members, Akashi announced that he'd check all schools listed in Japan for Kuroko's name. Four days had passed since then, and not a word from Akashi or the other Generation of Miracles.

By the start of the next week, he was anxious for news. He desperately wanted to call or text Akashi, but he didn't have his number. Once he realized this, he became completely pissed and took it out on anyone who happened to be standing nearby.

Riko had managed to find Kuroko's old address and sent it to him in a text. The red head, who happened to be heading home after practice, quickly changed his direction. It didn't take long, ands soon he was standing outside a very plain, white house. It was crammed in between two other large buildings and wasn't very far from their school at all. Mentally steeling himself, he walked up to the front door and knocked.

He hadn't really expected an answer, but it still hurt when he got no reply. Pushing aside his feelings, he walked over to the window and peeked in. Although it was mostly covered by pale blue curtains, he could see inside the western style home. What he saw only confirmed what he'd been told. Just from a small crack in the curtain, he could see the bare home within. There was no furniture inside. Only a couple of cardboard boxes lying on the soft beige carpet.

With a sharp intake of breath he backed away. So it was true then. Kuroko really did leave without saying a word. The bare house only confirmed it. Tears sprang to the red head's eyes as he thought of his friend. No more would he play basketball with the small teen, or eat out with him at Magi Burger. They'd never go up against Kuroko's old team now. He didn't think he could do it without his darker half. It didn't seem right to.

He trudged home slowly that day, as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.

For months he and his team waited for any sign of their missing player or news from Akashi. Midorima later on informed them that Akashi had no luck finding any sign of Kuroko. He didn't seem to be registered in any school in Japan. It was as though he'd dropped off the face of the planet completely.

Seirin won against Rakuzan in the final match of the Winter Cup, although just barely. And even though they should have been celebrating their victory, they couldn't help but feel a great sense of loss. How could it really be a win if Kuroko isn't here to help us celebrate? Riko thought sadly as her team sat quietly at the dinar table at Magi burger. Nobody really touched their food. Not even Kagami, who's thoughts had turned away from the match.

Months turned into years, and still they heard nothing from Kuroko.

Kagami graduated from high school, and moved on to play professionally. He still saw his old team members from time to time, but not as often as he used to. Riko went away to study so she could become a professional trainer, dragging her boyfriend- Hyuga, along with her. He wasn't entirely sure what the others were up to, but he was sure it was something equally successful.

Kagami traveled back to America for six months, but then returned to Japan for the remainder of the year. He'd remain in America for the summer, but returned home for the winter.

It was that winter in his twenty-second year, when he found Kuroko again.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

"This is bullshit." The blue haired teen sighed as the bouncer crossed his arms with raised eyebrows.

"Don't like it kid? Beat it." The bouncer growled, "The boss don't like smokers in his club."

"Tch. Yeah, well if he wants me up out on the floor again he's going to let me smoke," Kuroko snarled nastily, "He knows I'm what brings the money in around here."

The skinhead bouncer looked hesitant for a moment. Sure, Kuroko was a whole head shorter than he was—and skinner too, but he knew from experience that the kid had a nasty right hook and worked well with a baseball bat.

"So, are you going to let me in or not?" The kid pestered.

Without answering, the bouncer sneered at the blue haired teen and opened the door. Kuroko flashed him a snide grin as he sauntered past; ignoring the rude gesture the meaty man gave him.

Once inside the dimly lit club, he screwed up his nose. No matter how many years he'd worked here he'd never gotten used to the smell of sex and alcohol that plagued the warm club. Woman strutted past him without as much as a glance in his general direction. Their skimpy clothing and excessive make up stood out drastically in the dark, dingy looking club. Kuroko rolled his eyes at them. None of them were nearly half as popular as he was.

"Ah, there's my superstar!" came a loud, booming voice from across the room. A few patrons looked up from their drinks at the voice that easily overpowered the music. Kuroko inwardly groaned at the sound. He lifted his cigarette up to his lips and took a long drag and squashed it under his foot before making his way over to his boss.

"See? What did I tell you?" The man smiled in Kuroko's direction as he spoke to the dark man beside him, "Always fashionably late!"

Kuroko smiled politely. His boss was a tall, skinny man with a number of piercings decorating his face. His dark brown hair was styled with what Kuroko could only guess was a whole tub of hair gel. Shibata Hayate was probably the shadiest man Kuroko knew. He dealt with numerous things, ranging from drugs to human trafficking. Most days however, he spent running his club.

"Shibata-san," Kuroko greeted formally, losing his street slang quickly. "I apologize if I've offended you in any way."

Shibata waved it off casually and grinned. Despite his casual attitude towards him, Kuroko knew that if he so much as swore in front of Shibata, the club owner would have his tongue cut out. He expected his staff to respect him, so that was exactly what Kuroko did.

"No worries, I knew you'd turn up sooner or later," Shibata said, but Kuroko detected a faint hint of annoyance. "I don't think you've met Sugimoto-san before, have you Kuroko?"

Kuroko shook his head, and Sugimoto turned his dark eyes towards the small male. The boy wanted to squirm under his fixated gaze, but forced himself to remain still. Eventually, the man looked away. Much to Kuroko's relief.

He wanted to hit himself for his stupidity. When Shibata had called him and asked him to come over to the club, he should have expected something like this and dressed nicer. His current black singlet and white track pants were far from presentable in this case. He'd added more to his look and wore a blue stripped scarf around his neck with matching arm stockings. The loose blue vest he'd put on over the top of his singlet wasn't meant for warmth, but for show. A man like Sugimoto required more than a casual outfit, even in a lowly place like the club.

It wasn't often that Shibata called Kuroko out to meet a few of his clients, but Kuroko knew by now what to wear when he did. A lot of Shibata's customer's turned out to be wealthy business men, who ran famous companies. This one, like the rest, was probably hoping for a fix or something equally illegal.

"Well, Sugimoto-san, how about we head over for a drink?" Shibata suggested lightly, and Kuroko knew he was trying to take the attention away from Kuroko's attire. Kuroko often posed as Shibata's assistance, and his appearance reflected back upon Shibata.

The man agreed and they both left Kuroko for the bar. Kuroko only rolled his eyes before making his way to the kitchen.

"Yer late." The kitchen cook grunted as he stepped inside. Kuroko only shrugged before tugging off his blue vest and pants. Hanging from a hook were his dark skinny jeans. He pulled them on and tied his singlet up so that it revealed his flat stomach and a little of his toned chest. The cook huffed and looked over at Kuroko with a bloodshot eye.

"Ya'know, ya should jus' get changed at yer place." He growled. Kuroko shrugged again, not really caring at all for the cooks opinion. He was a fat, balding man who smelt strongly of rotting meat.

"I don't like walking the streets looking like a prostitute." Kuroko sniffed.

"Heh, ya have no problem lookin' like that ere'." The cook chuckled, and Kuroko cringed at his foul pronouncement of words. Unlike the cook, Kuroko chose to speck in slang terms simply because it stopped people from asking questions and helped him fit in with the other low lives. The cook had no other alternative.

Kuroko shook his head and took hold of one nearby tray. He left the dirty cook to his own smelly kitchen.

He walked over to the bar, making sure to swing his hips as he went. The few catcalls he received went only promised a large tip. Kuroko didn't think he was gay, no. But didn't have a problem pretending to be for money. He'd let small things like a few touches on his arms slide, but the moment someone went further he snapped and walked away without so much as a backwards glance. The club was welcome to many guests, regardless of their sexuality. In fact, they encouraged it all. Strippers and waiters were abundant in different genders. Kuroko was no acceptation.

Shibata and his client were there at the bar, but were too immersed in conversation to notice him. All the better, in Kuroko's opinion. He didn't like socializing with Shibata any longer than necessary.

"Table four, Kuroko." The bartender told him without even looking up. Kuroko nodded and placed the drinks on top of the tray before carrying it away.

Table four was located away from the stage and was mostly occupied by those who weren't interested in the dancing as much as the service. Kuroko knew that most of the time, waiters or waitresses had no problems being touched inappropriately, and often welcomed it if it involved money. Kuroko however would not tolerate it. He was simply eye candy. That was how he earned his money.

"Two Jim Beams with coke no ice." Kuroko announced in monotone. He didn't even pay close attention to the occupants of the table. Their eyes went wide as the saw who was attending their table.

"Kuroko?!"

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

Kagami really hadn't been expecting to run into Touo's old ace player, but he hadn't really been upset by it either.

He'd meant to simply go down the grocery store just for a few things when he ran into the tall, tanned man. To be honest, he'd been expecting hostility or something similar. Instead he was treated like an old friend.

"It's been so long, how are things?" Aomine asked, keeping his tone polite and formal.

Kagami smiled. "Fine, I guess. I'm playing basketball professionally now in America. I guess I have you to thank for that."

"Me?" Aomine frowned, "Why would you be thanking me?"

"Because if I hadn't fought so hard as against you, I would have never been as strong as I am now."

After that, the conversation turned more casual. They began talking about little things and such like old team members and sporting news. Eventually, Aomine suggested they go somewhere for a drink. Normally Kagami would decline. He hated the way alcohol made him feel and tried to avoid it as often as possible. But he hadn't seen Aomine since… the Winter Cup years ago. He felt slightly complied to go out somewhere with Kuroko's old friend.

They came across a club which also held a bar. 'Sweet Things.' The club was named, and had a vivid image of a neon pink candy that flashed with lights. Kagami was reluctant to enter once he realized that this was more than an ordinary club. But Aomine gave him a slight shove in the back and promptly told him to get over it.

They stumbled into the dark club and looked about. Kagami noted the attractive waitresses walking past him with their high heeled shoes and sleek hair dos. Aomine gave them none of his time, however. And didn't so much as spare them a glance. Kagami noticed this, but said nothing.

"Let's go sit over there on that table," Aomine suggested while pointing to a far table away from the stage, "I don't want to see more of those skanks than I already have."

Kagami grunted and continued to say nothing. Together they walked over to the table and took a seat. Kagami singled a waitress over and placed their orders.

"Alright, Hun." She smiled while chewing on her gum happily. "Someone'll be over with ya drinks soon enough." And with that she sashayed away, her pink mini skirt moving in time with her hips.

"Who the fuck does she think she is? Calling ya 'Hun'" Aomine growled, seemingly outraged.

Kagami sighed, "It doesn't matter. Let it drop."

They continued to chat after that, reminiscing about the days where basketball wasn't so much about the money or fame, but the game itself. Aomine revealed that Momoi had followed after him to continue on being his manager. Kagami wasn't really surprised at this. He knew the girl would follow her childhood friend across the universe if she had to.

"Two Jim Beams with coke no ice." A monotone voice spoke up suddenly, and the basketball players looked up from their seats to see their new waiter.

"Kuroko?!" The both shouted at once, eyes wide with complete disbelief.

Kagami shot up from his chair, but still remained in the one spot. What the hell? Kuroko?! His mind seemed to shout as he drunk in the sight of his seemingly missing friend.

Kuroko was taller than what he'd once been, but was still much shorter than either Aomine or Kagami. He'd let his blue hair grow out a bit so that it was no longer spiked up, but hung a little low around his face. His eyes, which had always remained apathetic, now held a cold, glacial touch to them.

Kuroko looked just as shocked as the two friends. His mouth parted and eyes went wide.

"K-Kagami-kun?" He stuttered, "Aomine-kun?"

"Tetsu…..?"

They all seemed frozen. Kuroko's mind was reeling. He was so sure that they'd forgotten about him. That they didn't even live in the area to see him. His mind quickly reminded him, however, that times had changed. And surely both Aomine and Kagami had moved away from their old town to a new one. Kuroko's town.

Kagami snapped out of it first.

"What the _fuck, _Kuroko?!" He practically shouted. His outburst had a few people looking over in their direction. "Where the hell have you _been_?!"

Kuroko recovered from his shock and returned to his normal, apathetic self. He placed the drinks quickly on the table and made to move away. But not before Aomine caught a hold of his wrist.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Aomine snapped. He'd lost his patience with Kuroko years ago, when the bluenette had gone missing.

Kuroko twisted in his grasp, but didn't manage to break free. He desperately looked around for a bouncer and was relieved when one finally caught his eye. He continued to struggle as the man made his way over.

"Is there a problem?" The bouncer asked, green eyes assessing the scene warily.

"No," Kuroko managed to snatch his wrist back, "They're just being dicks."

He sent them both a cold glare over his shoulder as he walked away. Kagami and Aomine couldn't help but stare after him, faces equally shocked. Kuroko had never cussed before.

"Kuroko….." Kagami finally sighed, "What the hell happened to you?"

**AN/ Oh shit. What the fuck did I do to Kuroko?! In my defense, I did say OOC in the description….**

**TT^TT don't kill me. Or sue. I forgot the disclaimer last time.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing buy my Ugly OC's. Thank you.**

***Prepares for flames* **

**HERE WE GO!**

**~YamiAkane97**


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks again for the reviews **BlazeMary, Heaven0leigh, Guest** and** Clarit**! I'm glad you like the story so far! Also, thanks for the faves and alerts. I'm soo happy!

**Clarit: **This story will be KagaKuro with some Aokise and maybe a hint of Midoritako? I hope that's okay with you. And I'm glad you like the badass Kuroko. And hey, don't feel bad. How do you think I feel writing this? xD

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

Kuroko walked back to the kitchen numbly, his mind in a whirl. How did they even manage to _find _this place? It wasn't like the club was greatly advertised. In fact, the building itself was tucked away on the corner of a dark ally. He himself had only stumbled upon it by chance while looking in the paper for a job years ago. He'd always thought that the place was so dirty, there was no way anyone who knew him from his previous life could possibly come across him here.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even hear Shibata calling to him. He just continued on to the kitchen.

"Hey, I thou' you was workin' at the bar tonight?" The cook asked as Kuroko walked in. Kuroko didn't answer however and just walked straight over to his clothes. He ripped his singlet down from its high knot and tore off his jeans. He hurriedly pulled on his street clothes before walking straight back out of the kitchen, leaving the cook completely confused.

Kuroko decided to use the back entrance to avoid another confrontation with his old teammates. He quickly walked down the stairs at a fast pace and continued on into the night. He was determined to get as far away from the club as possible.

He didn't have to go very far. His apartment was only a few blocks away from the club, making it easy for Kuroko to get to and from work every day.

The moment he stepped in the door, his mother looked up at him from her place on the couch. Kuroko almost visibly cringed at the smell. Alcohol bottles littered the living room floor and the lingering smell of vomit swirled around the air. He grimaced at his mother's lopsided smile as her half glazed eyes stared back at him.

"Tetsu-kun, come give your mother a hug." She slurred and sat up slowly.

"Again?" he asked softly, blue eyes staring at the mess. She frowned at him; confused.

"Ya make it out to be a bad thing." She mumbled.

Kuroko sighed. This wasn't the first time he'd come home from work with her like this, though mostly she was unconscious by then. He gathered that she was only awake now because he'd come home early.

"Come on," he said while moving to help her up, "Let's get you into bed."

She smiled softly at that, "Your too good for me, Tetsu-kun."

He didn't answer her after that; he just kept focused on helping her into bed. He drew the soft bed covers over her sleeping form and kissed her on the forehead. He murmured a quiet goodnight before leaving her to sleep.

Kuroko then began his usual routine of cleaning up after his mother. He grabbed a garbage bag from the cupboard under the sink and gathered up all the empty beer bottles. Kuroko threw them into the bag with disgust, hearing them clink dully together. He hated this. The life his father had left them both in. Often he forgot about what a supposed good man his father once was. He was too fixated on the idea that maybe he'd done this on purpose, although he couldn't come up with a reason why. All he knew was that it was his father's fault they'd ended up in this mess.

Not long after his father had died, Kuroko's mother had picked up on drinking. He'd asked her why one day, only for her to respond with, "It clears Momma's head for awhile…"

After that, he'd vowed never to drink alcohol. No matter what.

His mother was always getting wasted these days and could hardly keep a job to support them. So, Kuroko stepped up to the plate and got a job at 'Sweet things.' It paid well, plus the tips helped out a lot. But despite this, he never told his mother about his job. She already felt guilty about taking money from her son. It'd be worse if she knew exactly where her son had gotten it. She never asked questions, just took the money with a grateful 'Thank you.'

The money mostly fueled his mother's drinking problem. So that was why Kuroko now worked two jobs. Both of them were meant for things like rent, bills and food—but his mother usually took half of it for the alcohol.

Kuroko was tired. He'd worked at his first job at a local supermarket all day, then left to start work at the club (admittedly, he didn't stay for his whole shift, but it was still tiring neither the less.) And then returned home to clean the house. Most people his age would be in bed right now.

Kuroko hauled the garbage bag out the front and into the bin. Satisfied that was done; he went back inside to clean up any other messes his mother might have made in his absence.

This was just another typical night for Kuroko Tetsuya.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

"It was him, Akashi! I swear, he had blue hair and everything!" Aomine shouted into his cell phone. They'd left not long after running into Kuroko. Aomine instantly picked up his phone to relay information to Akashi the second they stepped out of the club.

Kagami couldn't hear what Akashi was saying, but he'd bet anything that the other red head was pissed. For years they'd searched for Kuroko, even gone as far as contacting the police for help. A good load that did. Apparently just because they hadn't heard from him didn't mean anything. If Kuroko's mother had called the school and told them that Kuroko was dropping out, it must be true.

"I know alright! But what the hell did you want me to do, drag his ass all the way to Tokyo just so you could see him?!" Aomine shouted again. Kagami looked around uneasily. He didn't want to be seen with someone who was shouting into a phone. Even if it was with good reason.

Aomine suddenly sighed, "Look, it's just as I said; he's different now. Fuck, he looked like one of those little street punks that go around the streets at night." There was a pause. Then, "No, I dunno. He left too quickly. I asked around and apparently he'd left already."

Kagami was starting to get a little impatient. He clicked his tongue and signaled to Aomine to hurry up. Aomine just gave him an annoyed glance before turning away.

"Alright, I'll look around for a bit. I've got the Bakagami with me anyways. Night." Aomine hung up and stored the phone away inside his trouser pockets.

"What did Akashi say?" Kagami asked.

The dark blue haired teen shrugged, "He wants us to stick around in the area for a few days and see if we can get any info on Tetsu."

"Great."

"It's not like you had anything better to do anyways, baka. Let's just focus on finding Tetsu."

Kagami sighed, "Right…. And you have somewhere to stay?"

Aomine grinned. "Yup. Your place." At this Kagami groaned.

"How did I know you'd say that?"

**A/N-**

**So, to clear things up.**

**Kuroko's a badass**

**Kagami and Aomine play professional Basketball, and are only there for 6 months (coincidence? I think not!) After that's up, they go back to America. (One of my co-workers does this.)**

**Kise- MIA. (joking, he'll come in later)**

**Akashi- sits angrily behind a phone**

**Midorima- Looking at horoscopes**

**Takao- Trying to convince Midorima to go out for icecream**

**Murasakibura- stealing said icecream.**

**Momoi- Aomine ditched her in America. (I have no idea what I'm doing)**

**Riko and Hyuga- *Kissy noices* 3 **

**Please review! I'll make Kise kiss you? xD **

**I own nothing!**


	4. Chapter 4

Honestly, I didn't think I'd get many reviews for this story. But you guys proved me so wrong.

A _BIG_ thank you to the people who reviewed: **Aliyss, Mimibeear, Nyunyunkyunkyun, BlazeMary ** and **Shin Paino.** You people make me write.

Another _BIG_ thanks to those who faved and/or alerted the story. :D

On with the story now!

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

"Why is your house so small?" Was Aomine's first question as they stepped inside the tiny apartment.

Kagami groaned, "I _just _moved back here. Sorry for not being so picky about my house."

"Yeah but, why not move back into your old apartment. Wasn't that heaps bigger?" Aomine asked as he kicked off his shoes at the entrance followed by Kagami. The red head only shrugged.

"My landlord was tired of receiving checks. He told me if I was gonna continue living there, I'd need to pay the money upfront. Kinda impossible since I was staying in another country at the time. Figured I'd rent somewhere else out when I moved back here."

"Makes sense, I guess." Aomine reasoned, "But still, I don't think a bit bigger could have hurt."

"Just shut up. You can sleep on the couch." Kagami growled and went over to the linen cupboard. He grabbed out a large fluffy blanket and dumped it on the couch.

Aomine scowled, "You don't have a futon or something? That couch looks pretty old." Kagami said nothing, just continued on down the hall to his own bedroom and slammed the door shut with a loud bang that echoed through the apartment.

"Touchy…."

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

Kuroko started his usual day at five am.

He woke up and checked on his mother to make sure she was alright before setting about getting ready for work. The store required him to start early at six am for five days a week. Usually, he took the weekends off and spent the whole two days cleaning up after his mother and working at the club.

The sun was barely up as he left the apartment, but that hardly bothered Kuroko. Around this time, the people who were active during the night usually started to make their way home. Thankfully, none of them noticed him walking down the darkened streets.

As he walked, his mind began to think back to last night. He wondered if maybe he should be more careful walking around the streets now. Not because of the potential muggers or criminals, but because he'd seen Kagami and Aomine so close to home. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that they'd called Akashi. The eagle-eyed captain loved to keep on top of things like this, and not be left out of anything.

With a strike of fear, he wondered if Kagami and Aomine would come back to the club. They couldn't! If they did, they'd ruin everything he'd worked so hard to achieve.

He was frustrated and was trying desperately to figure out a way to fix the situation. It wasn't like he could afford to move apartments to another city and take his mother along with him. Apartments weren't cheap. It was only thanks to the little money his father had left behind that they were able to buy the place they live in now.

Kuroko's thoughts continued like this the whole way to work. He wouldn't finish until four, and then he only had an hour to get ready for his night job at the club. He sighed. It didn't look like he was going to get any rest. Feeling annoyed with the turn of events, he lit up a cigarette to help calm his thoughts.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

"All day we looked for him," Aomine moaned into his arms which were folded casually over the table. "All fucking day, and not a sign of him anywhere."

A grimace had worked its way onto Kagami's face at these words. It was true though. Apparently nobody had seen a boy looking like Kuroko when they showed them the picture of the teen on Aomine's phone. But then again, that might be because of his misdirection.

"I know, so stop bothering me about it." Kagami growled, "It's not helping."

Aomine looked up from his arms, "Are you sure he'll turn up here, Bakagami?"

The red head chose to ignore that last bit, and instead sighed. "He was here last night; he's bound to be here tonight."

"Okay, if you say so."

Right on cue, as though the gods were toying with them all, Kuroko walked in through the doors. His dark expression was a clear indicator that he didn't want to be bothered tonight. And judging from the shouting about a 'Fucking blue haired brat' coming from outside, they knew why.

He stalked into the kitchen with a furious kind of grace and slammed the door shut behind him. Kagami and Aomine exchanged bewildered looks.

Not five minutes later, Kuroko came stamping back out, dressed in a skimpy white singlet that reached far above his navel, and the same dark skinny jeans from last night. Kagami caught himself staring and admiring how long Kuroko had let his hair grow out, and saw how it had even began to curl slightly. Kuroko's light blue scarf hung from his neck, and the blue sneakers squeaked on the tiled floor as he walked.

Again, Kagami was struck by just how much he'd changed in the five years he'd been gone.

He rose slowly in his seat, very aware of Aomine's eyes that were on him. He casually walked over to the bar, where Kuroko stood talking to a middle aged man on a stool. Just by looking at the man, Kagami could tell he was someone important. But he didn't really care about that right now. Swiftly, he reached out and grabbed Kuroko by the forearm.

Kuroko's head turned slowly to look at the hand that had clasped his arm so suddenly. He then looked up to the owner of the hand and his lip curled in distaste. The middle aged man also looked up at Kagami from his seat, curious as to why someone had interrupted their conversation.

"Kuroko, can we….talk?" Kagami asked quietly, nervous. The blue haired man glared up at him, but said nothing and made no move to remove the hand.

"Oh, Kuroko, it seems you haven't introduced me to your friend here." Shibata smiled brightly. "How very rude of you."

Kuroko blinked and turned back to the man. "I apologize, Shibata-san. Kagami-san here only wished to ask me something, right Kagami –san?"

The 'San' part hurt. It implied that they were no more than acquaintances. Kagami felt a surge of rage flare up at those words.

"Yeah," he said heatedly, "In private, if you don't mind."

Kuroko's icy eyes flashed, but he remind quiet.

"Ah, sure. I think you can take your friend out back for a moment, Kuroko. But do hurry, we need to discuss your work ethic's when you return." Shibata smiled and waved them away.

It was brief, but Kagami could have sworn Kuroko flinched at those words.

Kuroko suddenly grabbed his arm roughly and dragged him towards a back door. A wild glance in Aomine's direction told him that the tanned man was following them.

He winced as Kuroko opened the door with such force; it slammed into the wall behind it. One thing was certain, Kuroko liked to slam doors a lot. Aomine quietly followed behind, his face equally surprised with Kuroko's attitude.

Kuroko finally came to a halt once they outside in the night air, Aomine stopping directly behind Kagami. He then turned and face both of his old teammates with a cold expression. His blue eyes could have been chips of ice they were so cold, so guarded. Kagami wanted to look away just from a second of staring.

"What the fuck do you want?" Kuroko snarled, the venomous words dripping from his lips. It sounded so wrong hearing them come from him, the innocent Kuroko they once knew.

"Don't talk like that, Tetsu." Aomine instantly responded, hurt that his friend would even think of talking to him in that way.

The bluenette rolled his eyes, "Okay, sure. But it's okay for everyone else to do it, right? Fuck, you used to swear almost all the time in middle school. What happened? What changed?" he sneered.

Aomine growled, "Nothing, it's just not right coming from you."

"Bit hypocritical are we, Aomine?" Kuroko smiled without humor. It was almost as cold as his eyes, and slightly scary seeing as it was the first time they'd seen him smile while showing his teeth.

"Just shut up, the both of you." Kagami ordered. He hadn't missed Kuroko's 'Aomine' without the suffix. It reminded him of the way Akashi spoke, like they were all beneath him.

Kuroko dropped his smile at that. "What makes you think you can tell me what to do, Kagami? You're no better than I am."

He was about to reply when something stopped him. Kuroko had chosen that moment to dig into his pockets and extract a lighter. He was left speechless as he then pulled out a cigarette which appeared to have been stored behind his ear the whole time and lit it up, before bringing it to his lips.

It was wrong, so wrong. Kuroko should never have been seen with something like that in his hands. But the teen was so casual about it, they couldn't say anything—just watch him in disbelief.

"S-spit that god damn thing out." Aomine stuttered out shakily. Kagami didn't blame him at all. Even he was having trouble with this.

Kuroko shrugged, "Why" He asked, "It's not like it's hurting you or anything." He said it so casually, like it was nothing. As though it meant absolutely nothing for him to smoke.

"Just get rid of it!" Aomine shouted.

"No, I paid for these and I'm gonna smoke 'em."

"Enough! Look Kuroko, we didn't come here to fight. We just want to know where the hell you've been all these years. Why didn't you call, or visit?" Kagami questioned. He felt that he had a right to know that much at least.

But Kuroko suddenly looked very uncomfortable. He didn't look at either of them, just stared at a spot on the concrete while his smoke drifted away in the wind.

"It's none of your business." Kuroko said quietly, his tone completely void of emotion. He looked upset though, as if their simple curiosity had hurt him somehow. He looked smaller than he ever had in his life.

Kagami felt a knot of fear tighten in his stomach. What _had _happened to Kuroko to make him act this way? The harsh, cold Kuroko who so quickly jumped to defend himself against them was so different from what they were used to. Of course, Kuroko had been a little cold before, but nothing like this. Kagami could only conclude that something really bad had happened. Something that had changed Kuroko completely.

"I think we have a right to know, Kuroko." Kagami spoke quietly. "You owe us at least that much.

Kuroko flared up again, "I don't owe you anything! Any of you." He glanced over at Aomine as he spoke.

"So you think its fine for you to just leave and not even tell us where you're going, or why?" Aomine spoke up.

"Yes. I expected you to respect my privacy."

Kagami shook his head. "Did you really expect us not to worry about you? Not care at all about your whereabouts? You just dropped off the face of the planet without a word. Akashi was beside himself as he looked through every school in Japan's record for you, and not even then could we find you. Just please, explain and we'll leave you alone."

"The reason Akashi couldn't find me was because I didn't go to school. After Seirin, I dropped out and got a job." Kuroko said softly.

Kagami's eyes sparked with rage, "Dropped out?! What about your education? What about basketball?"

Kuroko looked at him squarely. "Not everything revolves around Basketball, dumbass."

That insult was the last straw. Kagami had to mentally retain himself from lunging over to the blue haired young man and wrapping his hands around that thin neck of his. He gritted his teeth sharply and his hands curled into balls at his sides.

"Forget it then." He ground out, and turned away. Aomine blinked with surprise and stared after him before following behind. He glanced around at Kuroko, and was happy to see he was just as surprised as he was.

It wasn't until they were walking down the street that Aomine stopped Kagami by placing a hand on the red head's shoulder. He half expected the baka to just shrug him off, but was happy when he didn't.

"Oi, why did you just walk off like that?" He asked once they'd come to a stop.

Kagami didn't turn around, he just kept his head down as he answered, "I can't stand seeing him like that. Besides, it didn't look like he was going to tell us about it anyway."

Aomine said nothing and released his friend. He too agreed that Kuroko wasn't going to tell them about his past, and that he'd changed too much for his liking. But he didn't say this to Kagami, who looked downright depressed.

"I just feel….so useless…" the red head breathed out. Aomine nodded and bit his lip.

"We….we should get home and tell Akashi…" Aomine suggested solemnly.

"And tell him what? That Kuroko's a lost cause and we'd best give up on him? Kagami growled

Aomine shook his head. "I didn't say that, and you'll never hear me sayin' that. Just because we let him off the hook for now, doesn't mean we ain't gonna go talk to him later."

Kagami sighed, "Yeah, your right. Still…."

"I know."

"It's just so weird, seeing him like that…."

The two walked back to Kagami's place after that in silence. They had to plan, and they'd need Akashi's help with that.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

**AN/ Ended it there guys :P**

**So, what's going to happen next?! I'm the author, and even I have no idea! (Not really xD)**

**Um… If there's anything wrong or confusing, let me know and I'll fix it up for you, okay? Don't be shy and put it off, I don't bite! I just want friends (;_; )**

**Please Review! It helps get those creative thoughts moving! (And faster updates….) **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: ** Saying I owned Kuroko no Basuke is like saying my cat suddenly loves me.

Okay, first off-

I really have to thank you guys. I have such low confidence in myself that I constantly think that I can't write to save myself. But your reviews have really boosted my confidence levels and made me really happy. I'm not kidding. You've lifted my spirits and made me a VERY happy person. So, thank you heaps.

Thank you guys so much **Shin Paino**, **ririnto**, **Aliyss, Shion Amamiya **, **Anglo-chan, mausee, FamkeForEver, AnetteRuby **, **BreeSkellington **, **allenfan ** ,** Swtazngrl5 **and **Roselilia. ** You people are my inspiration.

Thanks again to all the other people who Faved and/or alerted. You're much loved too!

**Aliyss: ** I'd love to be your friend :D

**Shion Amamiya: ** Thank you! I kept thinking, "Ya know, it's probably the emperor eye." But then thought that it was wrong and it was the eagle eye.

Now I shall stop rambling (Because that's what I do best) and get on with the story. Enjoy!

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

_Kuroko stood out the front of his new home with his mother, suitcases clasped firmly in both hands. It was a small, rundown two bedroom apartment with a conjoining kitchen and sitting area. In short—it was nothing special. The rent however was affordable and even though the apartment was in a really unsafe town, it was probably better than the other places they'd visited. _

"_Welcome to your new home, Testu-kun." His mother smiled weakly. Kuroko could see it was fake, but went along with it. He gave her his own tight smile and moved to carry the bags inside._

"_It'll be great, Tetsu. The restaurant down the street has an open position for me, and there's a local school you can attend." She announced with a false cheery tone. She then quickly added on, "When you're ready of course."_

_Kuroko only nodded and set the bags beside the front door._

"_I even hear that the school has its own basketball club! Isn't that great, Tetsu?" _

_No, he thought, it wasn't. He could never play basketball again. Surely Seirin and the Generation of Miracles would be expecting that. No matter what, he couldn't have them finding him. _

_Seeing her son's reaction to the news, she hastily backpedaled. "But if you're not interested on that, I'm sure you could join another club. Maybe take up swimming or something if you like."_

_Kuroko shook his head, "Its fine, Mother. I'm not really looking for a club to join now. Our main focus should be settling in." _

_Her smile faded and a sharp look of pain had flickered across her face. "…You're right. W-we should get settled in first. I mean, it's what your father would have wanted, ne?" _

"_I'm sure." Kuroko nodded and looked away. Right now, he wasn't really sure what his father would want. _

"_A-and we have his funeral in a few days too…" She attempted to smile, but it came out weakly and she began to tear up._

_Kuroko quickly rushed to her side, afraid she might start crying again. It had only been two days since his father's death, and yet so quickly he and his mother had moved. It seemed to Kuroko that she only wanted to get away from the last place she'd seen his father. Gone was all the furniture that they'd previously owned. His mother had sold just about everything, save for their clothes. Even Nigou's little dog house he'd brought early last year was sold. Thankfully the poor dog was used to sleeping wherever Kuroko slept. For now that would be his new bed._

_During this time, he's mother hadn't stopped with little episodes. She'd start crying at random whenever Kuroko's father was brought up, causing Kuroko to try and comfort her. It never really worked out well. He'd never been much for comforting. _

"_Mother, it's alright," He spoke softly while placing a hand on her shoulder. He looked into her blue eyes and told her sternly, "We'll get through this. I promise."_

_She let out a wail and flung herself onto him, sobbing hysterically. He awkwardly held her, not sure of what else to do. He sighed and looked heavenwards—why him?_

_**/**_**Kuroko no Basuke/**

Kuroko was tired. Really tired.

Midnight had rolled around at last, and he was finally permitted to leave the club. He'd already had enough three hours into the shift, mainly because patrons couldn't seem to keep their hands to themselves. More than three times he had to remind the customers that he was only eye candy, and if they were looking for something more than one of the strippers would be more than happy to help out.

To make matters worse, his confrontation with Kagami and Aomine from earlier on had left him in a foul mood and he couldn't get it out of his head. The thoughts of his entire team suddenly showing up churned in his head for the whole night, making him slip up and get orders wrong.

That only pissed Shibata off some more. He'd threatened to hang Kuroko from the ceiling by his tongue if he messed up once more. He'd kept a watchful eye on Kuroko for the remainder of the night, which annoyed the blue haired youth.

But he kept the peace. He worked hard and fast and was satisfied when quite a few patrons had slipped him extra tips here and there. Maybe next time he'd wear the black leather shorts Shibata had brought for him ages ago.

"_Consider it as part of your uniform." Shibata smiled slyly at him, forcing the dark material into Kuroko's unsuspecting hands. Kuroko blinked owlishly before unfolding them out and taking a look at them. He almost gagged._

"_You can't expect me to wear this!" He then thrust it back at Shibata, who laughed._

"_Come on, Kuroko-chan. It's not so bad. I could have you wear a thong if you like." Shibata winked and walked away, not before tossing the shorts over his shoulder. Kuroko grudgingly caught them with one hand._

"_Besides," Shibata shouted over the club's music, "Think of how much money you'd earn!" _

Kuroko shuddered at the memory. Okay, maybe he won't wear the shorts. It would probably just give Shibata some satisfaction anyway.

He ignored the pungent smell of the cook as he pulled on his casual clothes. The cook took no notice in him anyway. He was too busy counting his small wad of cash over by the sink. Kuroko left the kitchen quickly without bothering to say any goodbyes.

He hurried past Shibata, who was lounging on a loveseat with two of the clubs dancers giggling on either side of him. Shibata hardly even noticed Kuroko passing him as he left, and Kuroko found himself thanking his misdirection yet again.

Kuroko stepped outside into the icy breeze outside. He tugged his light blue coat up higher and pulled on the fur hood when he felt the cool breeze sting his cheeks. He was so tired, and now he had to go home and clean up any mess his mother might have made. Hopefully after that he'd be able to sleep for a few hours before his day job started.

Without warning, Kuroko felt a sharp pain stab at his lungs. He winced and doubled over, clutching at his chest. A rough cough escaped his lips and his eyes watered for a second. Once the coughing had subsided, he noticed the pain was slowly ebbing away—almost like it wasn't there to begin with. Kuroko frowned. This wasn't the first time he'd had a coughing spell like that. And he had a funny feeling it wouldn't be the last. He straightened up and looked around, grateful when he noticed nobody had seen him. The coughs that had racked his small body would be enough to alarm anyone.

Kuroko took a deep breath and walked on. It must only be a cold he thought, sniffling slightly.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

"You call him."

"Nah uh, no way. He'd rip me to shreds with his stupid scissors."

Aomine shook his head. "Well there's no way I'm calling him. He'd have one of his thugs break all the bones in my body! There's no way I could play basketball after that."

"You?! What about me? I'm the one who won that last tournament. If anything, it should be you who calls him. I hardly even know the guy." Kagami protested angrily while holding out his black phone to the tanned basketballer.

"Nope, not doing it. You can go die in a hole for all I care, I'm _not _calling him."

"Scary Ahomine"

"Bakagami, Just make the damn call!"

They were interrupted by Kagami's phone vibrating. The two immediately stopped arguing and looked at it simultaneously. The name printed across the screen had them both paling.

_**Akashi**_

Kagami's eyes went round, and Aomine backed away slowly. "I told ya, I ain't talking to him." He mumbled as he went.

Kagami gulped and gingerly picked up the phone as though it would blow up any second. He pressed answer and held it up to his ear.

"Hello?"

'_You two are a pair of idiots.'_

Kagami scoffed, "What the hell did we do?"

'_I can practically hear your redundant bickering from Tokyo.' _ Akashi replied monotonously through the phone.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Listen, we have news on Kuroko."

'_Good. I expected less from you, so naturally I'm surprised at your efforts. It's bemusing to think that you actually can use that pathetic excuse for a brain.' _

"Just shut up and listen…." Kagami retorted before relaying the night's events to the other red head, who listened quietly without interruption.

'_I see….' _ He said finally after Kagami had finished. '_And Daiki is there with you now as we speak? If so, put him on. He and I need a talk.' _

Kagami beckoned Aomine over with a hand and held the phone out to him. He took it with a grimace and held it up to his ear.

"Yeah?"

Kagami strained to hear the conversation, but Akashi's voice was muffled through the phone. All he could hear were Aomine's angry retorts. Judging from the sounds of what was going on; Kagami could only guess that Akashi was planning something Aomine didn't like. And he was sure that whatever Aomine didn't like, he was going to _hate._

"Well fuck you too then!" Aomine shouted rather suddenly, and threw the phone harshly at the couch. Kagami growled from the armchair "That's my phone, dumbass!"

Aomine growled and ran a hand through his hair. "This is bad. Very, very bad."

"What happened?"

Aomine pinched the bridge of his nose, "Akashi's coming to visit."

Oh.

Well.

That was new.

"What?!" Kagami shouted, abruptly standing up, "There's no way that psychopath can come down here. He'll take one look at Kuroko and kill us all!"

"Don't you think I know that, asshole?" Aomine grumbled, surprisingly calmer than what Kagami expected, "Just be grateful he isn't bringing the whole team with him."

Kagami inwardly shuddered at the thought of the others. Just picturing Kise's tearful face and Midorima's disapproving looks were enough for him to agree that it was better off they were left out of the loop.

"So, when is he getting here?" Kagami asked quietly, calming down for the time being.

"Two days. We've got two days before he gets here. I'm sure he'd come sooner, but I think he's gotta do somethin' first."

Kagami nodded, but wasn't really listening. So they only had two days until Akashi arrived. He suddenly brightened. If Kuroko even had a _sliver _of his old self located in that frosty heart of his, then maybe—Just maybe—he'd listen to Akashi. Akashi could demand the story from Kuroko; get him to spill everything about his past. Why he'd left, and why he hadn't said anything to them.

He grinned wildly, not bothering to notice Aomine's raised eyebrow. Yeah, Akashi could make Kuroko tell them everything. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. He quickly turned to Aomine and told him of his brilliant idea.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

He wasn't sure if it was luck that kept them away, or if the gods were planning something. Either way, Kuroko was happy. He hadn't seen Aomine or Kagami in two whole days, which was just perfect for him. He was convinced that they'd given up on him. That they'd realized he was a hopeless case and moved on. He smiled around a cigarette at the thought. Maybe now Shibata would get off his case and harass the stripper that had been taking cash out from the clubs money.

"How many times do ya have ta be told not ta smoke in here, Kuroko-kun?" One of the young stripper girls asked. He actually liked this girl, aside from the fact that she was constantly wearing a skirt that hardly made it past her panties. She didn't care about how popular he was. She'd often told him that it was the regular customers that brought in the money, for they were reliable. Kuroko didn't care, and would brush the statement off. He knew he'd get money off whoever came in those doors.

"At least once more, Manami-chan." He said with an easy smirk. She smiled happily and flipped back her caramel coloured curls. It was easy to see why customers liked her, she was alright looking—but not for Kuroko. She reminded him a lot of Momoi, smart yet excitable. Still, it was sad for him to think that he was only using her to keep up his image. He knew for a fact that Manami had the biggest mouth in the club, and wouldn't hesitate to spill his darkest secrets to the world should he tell her. That's what made her so desirable to him, she could boost his reputation.

He wasn't the kind of guy to boost his own reputation for simple pleasure. It wasn't like that. He hoped that the more people heard of him being this untouchable guy, the more it would come true. People wouldn't come near him or his mother if they thought he was good enough to pummel them to the ground. Which was where Manami came in. He'd play up the bad boy act for her and get her to tell all her friends, who'd spread it further.

The only downfall with this was that once people took a good look at him and realized he wasn't anything special, they'd start to bother him. He learned years ago that he'd have to do more than put word out on the street to keep the people away. So, he'd picked up on fighting. He was hardly any good, but he could throw a pretty decent punch. And when he went out alone at night for a walk, he always carried his trusty baseball bat with him. He didn't have to worry about the authorities spotting him. He was practically invisible to the world if he wanted to be.

"Ya know, Kuroko-kun, those guys ya were with the other night were pretty hot." Manami smiled dreamily, "They coulda made me a very happy woman."

Kuroko's mood darkened at the thought of them. He picked up a glass from the bar and began unnecessarily drying it with a cloth.

"That red head coulda sent me over tha edge with that huge bod of his." She grinned, "And that dark guy, holy fuck I swear I was jus' shaken lookin' at him."

He scowled and tried to ignore her, but her high pitched voice still managed to reach his ear drums.

"I mean, think about how much _fun _we coulda had." She sighed and laid her head on the bar counter.

"Leave them alone, Manami." He said coolly. She stiffened at his cold tone.

"Wha? I was jus' sayin' how hot they were." She defended angrily. Kuroko rolled his eyes.

"And I'm not saying that's a bad thing, just stay away from them, Kay?"

She looked miffed, but eventually agreed. She got up from her bar stool and walked off, no doubt to tell her friends about how he was being a jerk.

He couldn't find it in himself to care though. He just went back to cleaning his glass. Maybe soon he'd go out on the floor and serve drinks for some tips. His tight black vest would definitely earn him some good tips tonight. Especially when he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath.

Shibata had smiled at his choice of clothing, and gave a rare nod of approval. He'd let out a sigh of relief at that. Thanks to Aomine and Kagami's sudden interest in the club, he'd been getting in an awful lot of trouble lately. Shibata wasn't pleased with his attitude towards work, and threatened to have him fired if he kept it up. Kuroko often found himself wondering who was worse, Akashi or Shibata?

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, as the old saying goes.

He looked up just as a new group of people walked in through the door. His heart sunk as he saw the first two people walk in. Aomine and Kagami. But it was the third person who had his whole body freeze and lock up. Bright red hair and mix matched eyes.

Akashi Seijuro.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

**AN/ **Is this our first cliff hanger? I'm sorry. I just wanted it to end like this!

Sorry for the latish update. Christmas is NOT the time to be jolly. It's the time to run around gathering gifts for people who will probably forget about them in a month's time. And work is crap, as usual. I miss how Christmas used to be.

In case I don't update before Christmas, Have a Merry Christmas! And to those who don't celebrate it—enjoy the day anyway.

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: ** Saying I owned Kuroko no Basuke is like saying I'm going to get a break from work. Yeah, I wish!

Thank you lovely people for reviewing: **Shion Amamiya, ririnto, Swtazngrl5, Shin Paino, FamkeForEver, Roselilia, BlazeMary, Guest, ruda102 ** You people are without a doubt the best!

Thanks to the people who also faved and/or alerted. You're loved as well!

**ririnto: ** Hahaha, no. Nothing as bad as that is going to happen to Kuroko. But do keep an eye on it. I'm planning something ;)

**ruda102: **Yay!

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

Akashi's heterochromic eyes flashed up to meet Kuroko's icy blue ones the second he entered the club. Shame flooded through Kuroko, and coloured his features against his will. The strong smell of sex and alcohol continued to linger around the club, while strippers dressed in hardly any clothing continued to dance around metal poles to bouncing music. Akashi's eyes seemed to tell him what Akashi really thought of this place, and none of it was something to be proud of. Akashi's eyes glanced away from Kuroko and swept the club instead, taking in all the shady club had to offer. Judging from the wrinkled nose, he was unimpressed. He back over to Kuroko and nodded his head in the direction of the table Aomine and Kagami were already seated at.

Kuroko mumbled an apology to one of the staff members before exiting from behind the bar. As much as he didn't want it to seem as though he were following Akashi's orders, he wanted to get this out of the way as soon as possible. And the best way to do that was to not complain with Akashi.

"Tetsuya, I see that things are going well for you." Akashi said with a smile as soon as Kuroko had joined them. Oddly, Aomine and Kagami remained silent.

Kuroko frowned, but took a seat opposite from his old captain. "If you consider a strip club 'going well' then sure, Akashi. Things are going great." Kuroko said coldly, choosing to avoid Akashi's harsh eyes.

If Akashi was startled by Kuroko's cool tone, he didn't show it. Instead, he smiled tightly and looked down at his clasped hands. "Yes, I suppose so. Tell me, Tetsuya, what on Earth could have brought you to such an….. _Interesting _club like this one, if you don't mind me asking?"

Of course, as always he was straight to the point. Aomine shuffled nervously in his seat, while Kagami looked away. So their plan was to get him to spill everything to Akashi, was it?

"I don't think that's any of your fucking business, _Seijuro." _Kuroko said indifferently with a flippant wave of his hand. "I don't think it's really anyone's business as to how I spend my life. Because last time I checked, it was _my _life."

Akashi's mask slipped, and a scowl marred his face. His eyes narrowed and he stared straight into Kuroko's unflinching eyes.

"Be very careful, Tetsuya."

"Oh don't worry, I'm very careful, _Seijuro." _ Kuroko smiled.

Aomine scowled, "Don't talk to Akashi like that, Tetsu." He didn't like the way things were going.

Kuroko turned to him and raised his eyebrows. "And where do you get off telling me what to do, Aomine-_san?"_

Again, the 'San'. Kuroko made a clear emphasis of it just to annoy the blue haired youth. Aomine's scowl deepens, but he doesn't reply.

"What about schooling, Tetsuya?" Akashi broke in, "How are your studies going?"

Alright, Kuroko thought, I'll play your game, Seijuro.

"Well, I'm sure that if you've been talking to these two as much as it seems, then you already know how well they're going." Kuroko said.

"So, no education then?" Akashi asked with a raised eyebrow. "And what about your plans for the future, Tetsuya?"

"It's undecided, but I might do something for the club," Kuroko replied casually. But inwardly he shuddered at the thought of spending the rest of his life working for Shibata.

Akashi nodded, "I see…"

Silence ensued between them. Only the loud beat of the pop music from the speakers could be heard amongst the chattering of the other patrons. Both Aomine and Kagami kept sending each other wary glances, while Kuroko kept his eyes fixed on the burgundy coloured table they sat at. Akashi, however, kept his gaze fixed on Kuroko.

"Tetsuya, you will tell me what happened."

Kuroko's back stiffened, and his blue eyes met with Akashi's gold and red eyes. He was reminded of all those times Akashi had forced him to obey his orders, until he could no longer refuse. However, things had changed. Kuroko wasn't about to sit by and let himself be pushed along any more.

He gave Akashi a quick smirk, "What makes you think something happened, maybe I just wanted to move away and work at a strip club?"

Akashi wasn't impressed. "Really, Tetsuya? I got the distinct impression that strip clubs were not the place for you."

Kuroko's smirk grew, "You thought wrong. This place asks no questions, so it's perfect for me."

"Kuroko-kun, I thought I told you to be serving drinks."

Kuroko barely had time to look up before Shibata's hand clamped firmly on his head. Shock had him sitting completely still. He was dead. He knew it. Shibata was pissed off, and that would mean only one thing.

"If you want to sit and chat with your….friends… then I suggest you don't bother coming back here until you're ready to earn some money." Shibata continued with feign innocence.

All three of Kuroko's friends had turned to him at Shibata's arrival. They said nothing, but scowled darkly at him and kept glancing at the hand on Kuroko's head.

Kuroko, on the other hand, just sat there letting Shibata's words echo through his head. He was….fired? No, not fired—suspended. Work leave. Shibata wouldn't give him any more shifts until he made up for his slack.

"S-Shibata-san, this isn't what it looks like. They just wanted me to tell them more about working at the club." Kuroko quickly lied, hoping to the gods that he wouldn't see through him.

Luck didn't really seem to be on his side today.

Shibata's face suddenly turned nasty, and his voice came out in a near whisper. "Don't. Lie. To. Me, Boy." He growled, and Kuroko knew that it was turning from bad, to worse. And it was all _their _fault.

"Get into the kitchen, boy. We'll talk later." Shibata snarled and fisted the back of Kuroko's shirt in his hands before hauling him out of the chair. He sent an icy cold glare to his old teammate's before walking away to what they presumed was the kitchen.

"Excuse me, but Tetsuya and I were having a conversation."

Shibata's eyes swiveled around to Akashi, who'd chosen to speak up. The red haired youth still sat in his chair with a polite smile gracing his face. Which Shibata all too happily returned.

"I'm terribly sorry, Gentlemen, but Kuroko-kun is unable to entertain this evening." Shibata said in his politest voice, "But if you're interested, we have plenty of other staff that would be willing to make you happy for a few hours."

Akashi dropped his smile, and Aomine looked disgusted with the idea of Kuroko being '_entertainment' _as Shibata called it. Kagami looked completely enraged just for suggesting that they wanted to sleep with Kuroko.

"No, we aren't interested in Tetsuya like that. You see, he's an old friend who we haven't seen in a long time. My friends here spotted him a few nights ago, and informed me that we could speak with him here." Akashi said.

Shibata chuckled, "I'd think you were lying, but I know that kid well enough to know he'd never sleep with the customers." He continued to smile, "But he has to work, kids. So I'm afraid you'll have to talk to him later."

"That's the problem though; we can't speak with him later. He hasn't told us of his address, nor given us any means of contact. This is the only place we can speak with Tetsuya."

Shibata didn't look surprised, "Well, I always knew he was a bit of an introvert. But he really rakes in the cash when he wants to." He looked thoughtful for a moment, like he was trying to decide something. He glanced down at Akashi again before speaking again. "I suppose I could give you his address, just so you don't bother him here anymore. But remember—_you didn't get it from me."_

Akashi nodded slowly, never taking his eyes from Shibata. "Yes, of course."

Shibata sighed, "Alright, pass me a pen and paper."

It took only a few minutes, but soon they had Kuroko's address scribbled down neatly on a small scrap of paper.

Shibata ran a hand through his dark hair, "Now, excuse me while I go chew that little brat out." He growled, and walked away in the direction Kuroko had gone.

**/Kuroko no Basuke/**

"He….lives here?" Kagami asked, trying to reread the slip of paper in Akashi's hands to make sure he hadn't got it wrong.

Akashi frowned, "This is the address it says on the paper."

"That can't be right, this place is a dump." Aomine said with a raised eyebrow.

He was right, the place was a dump. Rubbish littered the walkway, paint peeled off the building, and Kagami could have sworn he saw a rat run by.

"Man, this is messed up." Kagami growled and screwed up his nose in distaste. Akashi shrugged, and made to walk up to the apartment building. The kept their eye out for Kuroko's apartment number while they went.

They'd waited at the club for Shibata to come by and tell them that he'd sent Kuroko home. So there was a good chance that he'd be inside the apartment building now.

"This place really smells." Aomine grumbled.

"I know, but this is Tetsuya's home, Daiki. You will respect that." Akashi warned.

"Still smells."

"Daiki, be quiet."

Finally, they spotted Kuroko's apartment. Like the rest, the door's paint had peeled back, and looked as though some animal had scratched at the door numerous times. Cautiously, they made their way to the door.

Kagami suddenly looked nervous. "What do we tell him?" he asked quietly.

Akashi shrugged, "We only tell him why we're here after he does."

"Huh?"

Akashi sighed, frustrated. "Well explain to him why we are here, in this dump, after he tells us what happened to him. I refuse to think that Tetsuya would willingly move to a place like this."

"Oh…"

"You're so stupid, Bakagami." Aomine snickered and Kagami scowled, but chose not to speak.

"I thought I told you to be quiet, Daiki."

"Sorry."

The three of them stood outside the door, wondering what on earth could have brought Tetsuya to live in a place like this. Without hesitation, Akashi lifted a hand up to knock.

**A/N: **Our second cliff hanger! I am mean, aren't I?! Mwhahahaa

Nah, I'm sorry. I won't do it again! I promise! (No promises.)

Poor….everyone. No one knows what happened to Kuroko! Kuroko's very stubborn.

Please, review. I love it when ya do! I'll write you a longer chapter next time, yeah?

Until next time!


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks to: **Roselilia, Blackandwhiteangel13,SunMoonKitsune,ruda102,Aliyss, Lewiis-kyt, xXKarkatluvxX,CookieKouki and Osa-chan ** for reviewing. Thank you guys soo much!

Thanks to all those that faved and/or alerted as well!

**~~∞Ω∞Ω∞~~**

The sky outside was completely black by the time he got outside. No stars blinked back at him when he looked up, and the street he walked down remained deserted. Kuroko didn't want to go home. He didn't want to go take care of his drunken mother and listen to her cry for his dead father. It got too much sometimes, so he just didn't return home. Instead he walked down streets he'd gone down at least a dozen times beforehand and waits for the night to pass. That's what he was doing tonight, just walking down familiar roads until dawn breaks, then heading for his daytime job. But a part of him felt bad for doing it. His mother needed him more than ever, but he couldn't find the willpower to return to her. She wasn't anything like what she was before, kind and loving. She was just a drunk. Like someone had shoved a cocktail of emotions down her throat and she was still recovering from it.

Sometimes, when it all got too much for Kuroko to bear, he would wonder what would happen if he just _let _her go. Let her choke on her own vomit in her sleep, let her starve and wonder what had happened. But he just couldn't. He loved her, more than anything. More than anyone in the entire world, and she _needed _him. He couldn't just let her die, no matter how hard it got.

That was why he worked so hard, why he put up with Shibata's bullshit. Just for her, the woman who'd brought him into the world. In a way, he was just repaying a debt. But that wasn't exactly it. Even if he owed her nothing, he'd still do it for her. Because he loved her.

And he knew she felt guilty about it, about the alcohol. But nothing else seemed to take her mind off his father. If she didn't drink, she cried. And Kuroko hated those tears, those pleads for him to come back. So, he gave her what she wanted. The Alcohol. Even though the money it cost to buy it ripped through all his savings, he still brought it for her. So she could escape her own personal hell.

She didn't know about Shibata, or any of his work. She had no idea about the kind of work Kuroko did, and sometimes he wondered if she'd care. Probably not. When she wasn't drunk, she was dealing with a hangover. And at those times she could only care about herself. So that was why Kuroko was walking alone in the streets, dressed in white cargo pants and a blue hoodie while smoking through his last pack of cigarettes. He liked the bitter, peppery taste they held, even if it did have him in a coughing fit later.

However, tonight he had a feeling that he shouldn't be out on the streets. That tonight, he should be at home taking care of his mother. It was a nagging feeling that tugged at the back of his mind, making him unable to enjoy his time alone. Eventually, he couldn't stop thinking about it. And hardly realized he was walking in the direction of his home.

He didn't bother knocking; after all it was his own home, so therefore he wasn't the only person surprised when he walked in through the door

"Mother, I'm bac—

He stopped in the entrance to his living room. Sitting there comfortably on his ratty, worn out sofa was Akashi, along with Aomine and Kagami.

His mother sat nervously on the armchair across from them, looking between him and his friends nervously. Kuroko was surprised to see that she wasn't drunk. Well, not completely. Judging from the way she kept sagging forwards and smiling a little too brightly, she'd already had at least one or two drinks before his friend's arrival.

What the hell had they done, run here straight after the club? He inwardly seethed. Here they sat on his chairs, looking as though they belonged there, without a care in the world. Without caring that they might have just completely fucked Kuroko up for good.

"Tetsuya, honey, you didn't tell me you were having friends over." His mother smiled nervously up at him, her eyebrows pulled down in a slight frown. Kuroko had to take a sharp intake of breath just to calm himself. He couldn't lose control and start swearing in front of his mother, no matter how little she cared. She was his mother, and he knew he should respect her. Regardless.

"I wasn't aware myself, Mother." He glared at the intruders, but none of them seemed to care.

His mother nodded, still a little put out by the alcohol in her system. "Well, I'll be in my room if you need anything, boys. Don't be too loud, alright?" She looked a little hesitant to leave.

"Yes, mother." Kuroko said and watched as she retreated to her room. Undoubtedly leaving to drink the remainder of the night away.

"What," Kuroko growled, putting as much venom in his voice as he could, "are you fucking doing here?"

Akashi simply smiled, completely calm with the situation. "I thought that was pretty obvious, Tetsuya. We came to visit you."

Kuroko didn't think he'd ever been so angry in his life. He stormed up to Akashi and leaned right in until he was staring directly into Akashi's eyes. Akashi wasn't the type to ever feel threatened, so he just continued to smile politely at Kuroko, as though he was oblivious to what was going on around him.

"Don't you _dare_ come here again, or I'll fucking kill you." Kuroko snarled. He couldn't help it, the anger he felt. How dare they come into his private life and try to mess everything up. "Get the fuck out of here, and stay the hell away from my mother!"

Akashi's smile didn't waver; he just looked straight into Kuroko's eyes. "I'm sorry; Tetsuya, but I cannot do that. See, I make it my business to make sure my friends are safe and well. You're clearly none of those things. So I must step in and help you." He stopped and looked around at the rundown apartment before going on. "If it's money you need, I can help you. I'll lead you some money here and there, and you can repay me whenever you feel like it. Sound fair?"

By now, Kuroko was seeing red. "No, it's not fucking fair. I don't _need _your money, or any of you! Just get the fuck out of my house before I call the cops."

Aomine gritted his teeth from the side, and growled out "No you wouldn't, Kuroko. You wouldn't do that to your friends."

"What friends, Daiki? I don't see any friends, only people that just can't keep their noses out of other people's lives." Kuroko shouted, turning on him instead.

"I'm not like you anymore. In fact, I was _never _like you. Win, win, win—that's all you ever cared about, right? All you'll ever care about. It was never about me, or my friends—only about yourself and the game. Now that I'm suddenly in this shit hole, you wanna help me? Well _too fucking late._ You didn't care before, not when I asked you and the others not to….." He trailed off, the fire in his eyes dimming for just a second.

"Not to what, Tetsu?" Aomine asked quietly, a little worried he might set Kuroko off again. Kuroko glanced at him, his eyes impassive.

"Nothing." He said flatly. "It was years ago anyway. And it was stupid for me to hope that you'd listen to me for a second."

"Kuroko," Kagami spoke up, looking intently at him, "Just tell us what happened. Why you live here now, why you work for that creep, why you're mum seems so out of it. Just tell us, and we'll help you."

"I don't need help, Taiga." He spat. "You've seen my home, and how I live. I think you know enough."

"Tell us, Tetsuya. I'm not asking, I'm telling."

Kuroko's gaze flickered back to Akashi, who'd remained calmly seated on the sofa the whole time. His calm façade only pissed Kuroko off more, but a part of him wanted to tell them everything. Not willingly of course, but this was Akashi. He was demanding something, and Kuroko had never defied him. Well, not outright at least.

It was a battle of wills, Kuroko knew. If he gave in now, he'd never be able to deny Akashi of anything ever again.

"No." Kuroko said softly, his face turning white. He didn't know how Akashi would react to this. Probably like a small child who didn't get their own way. "No, Seijuro. I won't tell you."

Akashi was still, unmoving. His face had turned blank and expressionless. His one gold eye glimmered for just a second, before Akashi stood up. He walked casually over to the door, and Kuroko had to move out of his way just so he could get past.

"I see, Tetsuya. So that is how it is. I will no longer be in contact with you. Have a nice…." He glanced over at the darkened window before going on "Night…."

And with that, he was gone. He'd left so quickly and so suddenly that even Kagami and Aomine seemed surprised. Although, Aomine might have been more shocked at Kuroko's sudden blunt defiance of Akashi's wishes.

"I….I better get going too…" Aomine mumbled and stood up. "See ya around, Tetsu." And then he too was gone, without so much as a backwards glance.

Kuroko looked over at Kagami, who still looked shocked over Akashi's departure. He clearly hadn't been counting on Kuroko standing up to him. Kuroko waited for him to recover before speaking.

"Shouldn't you be going with them?" He asked casually, feigning his own inner surprise.

"Ah, yeah." Kagami said and scratched his head. "I guess I should."

He got up and walked slowly over to the door. Kuroko followed him, just to make sure he left.

"Listen, Kuroko…." Kagami started, "I want you to know that I'm not giving up. I'm gonna find out what happened. No matter what."

Kuroko felt like smiling. Same old Kagami Taiga, even after all those years. He still hadn't changed. Instead of smiling, he simply reverted back to the way he used to speak with his friends.

"I knew you wouldn't, Kagami-kun. But it's for the best that you did."

Kagami shook his head. "No, it isn't." And then he too was gone.

Kuroko closed the wooden door shut behind him, and almost sagged to the floor with relief. Finally, they'd given up on him. Well, not Kagami. But surly with enough pushing, he took would walk away. Aomine had realized that it was futile after he'd turned his back on Akashi. He just needed to do something to get rid of Kagami now.

**~~∞Ω∞Ω∞~~**

"Kuroko, there you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Shibata called out happily as he approached the blue haired man.

"Shibata-san," Kuroko said in surprise, not really expecting the club owner.

Shibata smiled and draped an arm over Kuroko's shoulders. Kuroko almost sneezed at the powerful stench of his cologne. "See, I've got a job for you. Something that'll rake in all the big dollars."

He sounded way too happy for Kuroko's liking, so he eyed him with extreme caution. "What is it, Shibata-san?"

Hearing the suspicion in Kuroko's voice, Shibata tried to reassure him quickly. "Aww, it's nothing so bad. I just need you to hand this bag over to this guy I know over by the restaurant up the street. He'll give you some cash, and you're to bring it _straight _back to me. Understand? And if I find even a cent o it missing, I'll come straight after you."

He then dumped a heavy, black backpack onto the table in front of Kuroko, allowing a moment for the threat to sink in. Instead of looking scared, Kuroko frowned up at him and asked, "What's inside the bag?"

"Nothing, nothing, just something the guy wants from me. If you do it right, I'll pay you triple you usual wage."

Now that had Kuroko listening. Triple his usual pay? That was heaps. Enough to cover this month's rent, by enough food for the week, and even pay for his mother's drinking problem.

"Alright, I'm listening."

Shibata told him more of the details, and that if anyone asked what was in the bag he was to tell them it was just schoolbooks. That only the paying customer was to see what was inside. And that the guy was to give him the money before anything.

Kuroko listened intently, determined to do a good job. He already had a good idea of what was in the bag, but he didn't say anything. Saying something would only annoy Shibata.

"Alright, then go. And don't come back unless you have all the money." Shibata warned and pushed him out the door. Kuroko huffed angrily at that. He hadn't even had the chance to change out of his skimpy uniform.

But he went on without further complaint, following Shibata's directions. It didn't take long for him to get to the restaurant. Instead of waiting out the front or going inside, he ducked around to the back where Shibata had told him they guy would be waiting.

The man didn't see him at first. He was too busy looking in the opposite direction. His hands were shaking, and his eyes couldn't seem to focus on one thing. He fit Shibata's description perfectly. This was the paying customer.

"Hey, are you the guy Shibata's lookin' for?" Kuroko asked aloud, startling the man out of whatever he was doing.

He jumped, and looked about wildly, like he was going to run. Kuroko held out an arm, like he was dealing with a deranged animal rather than a drug hungry human being.

"Relax, I work for Shibata. He sent me here to pick up the cash you owe him. And to drop off the drugs." Kuroko muttered and dropped the heavy bag on the ground. They guy's eyes darted to it immediately, and he reached over to grab it. Kuroko scowled and kicked it just out of the guys reach.

"Nuh uh. Shibata says I gotta count all the money before I hand you the bag."

The guy mumbled something under his breath, but thrust a large wad of cash at Kuroko, who caught it just barely. He counted it twice before turning away.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Kuroko called over his shoulder, not bothering to watch the man dive for the back and open it to reveal its contents.

Pig, Kuroko thought as he sauntered away. Hopefully, Shibata would let him do this more often. The money it earned him was very promising. Even if he did feel slightly bad. It was illegal. He was doing illegal work. But if it got him the money to take care of his mother, who gave a fuck? It was worth it. Very, worth it.

**A/N: **

Had to end it there because I have to leave for work. Tell me what you think in a review, please? I'll love you all forever if you do!


	8. Chapter 8

Kuroko waited quietly in the near darkness of the street, his foot tapping quietly on the pavement. He was on edge and impatient. The client was due over an hour ago, and still hadn't shown up. Shibata hadn't said anything about this so naturally Kuroko was nervous. This was the first time something like this had happened, even though he'd been doing his 'new job' for at least a month now.

Kagami had no idea, or at least Kuroko thought he didn't. He shuddered to think what would happen if Kagami _did _find out. He'd probably be dead by now if he did. If Kagami thought Kuroko working in a strip club was bad, wait until he heard about this. He'd probably throw a fit and drag Akashi back and demand he sort the problem out. Kuroko almost smirked at that. He'd just proved not a month ago that Akashi had no power over him anymore. Nothing, nor anyone, could stop him from living his life now.

A sudden movement to his left brought him out of his thoughts, and demanded his attention. He turned his head slowly towards the moving shadow coming towards him. Instinct told him to make a run for it, but his brain knew better. Judging from the slight trembling of the shadows outline, it was a druggie coming over for another fix. Better yet, it was Kuroko's client.

The figure came to a stop directly in front of Kuroko, but made no movement to come any closer. He was weary of Kuroko, who was an employee of a guy who could have him shipped to the Congo jungle before he could even utter an apology. But Kuroko was used to each of Shibata's client's meekness. Shibata had that kind of effect on people.

"Les make this quick then, kid. I gotta 'bout two more stops after ya." The client huffed, breathing his foul smelling breath into Kuroko's face. The blue haired youth resisted the urge to sneer and cough back in the guys face. But doing that would only piss off everyone else, including Shibata—who'd kill him for losing a paying customer.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get you're dick in a knot." Kuroko grumbled, and slid the usual backpack off his shoulders and into his left palm. The guy kept a steady, hungry gaze fixed on the bag and didn't even take his eyes off it to pull out the cash. A scary skill, Kuroko thought as the bloodshot eyes continued to watch the bag while handing over the cash.

The guy looked like he was about ready to start drooling all over the concrete in the dim alleyway when Kuroko had finished counting all the money. It took a lot of Kuroko's self-restraint not to grimace outwardly at the druggie's pig-like nature. Was it just him, or were all druggie's pigs just waiting for another fix? He decided against answering that, for he already knew the answer.

He opened up the bag and dumped the drugs on the pavement carelessly, holding back his disgust when the man dove for them. Kuroko knew that this guy probably hadn't had a fix in quite a few days, and that's what had lead him to this whole starving dog act. He'd seen it a few times before in the past month. Some customers were cool and collected when purchasing their drugs, and some were already high when they brought them. Others, like the man looking over his newly brought items like it was his first born son, were desperate. They needed their fix quickly, and didn't care about what they did to get it.

Shibata had explained that this was normal. That sometimes, people didn't have enough money to afford the drugs and therefore had to starve themselves from them. It wasn't until the cravings really kicked in that they cracked, and did crazy things to get the money for the drugs. Some even went as far as selling their own houses just to get what they wanted. Kuroko had shaken his head when Shibata had finished. He couldn't understand some people.

But then again, he couldn't talk. He'd given up everything he loved for something he couldn't live without—his mother. Drugs were different, yes, but he could understand just a little bit about giving up things for another.

He turned away then from the man, leaving him with his drugs. He had to get the money to Shibata who probably already believed he was late. He cursed the druggie for wasting so much of his time. He just hoped Shibata wouldn't hang him from the ceiling. Sighing, he pulled his dark hoodie over his head and speed up.

To his dismay, Kagami was waiting for him at the club with a scowl etched onto his face. These days, it was starting to look permanent. Kuroko glared at him darkly, making it clear that he wasn't welcome here before brushing past him.

"Oi, Kuroko—wait up a second." Kagami growled, and spun around to watch Kuroko's retreating form. Kuroko only kept going though, determined to ignore him.

"I said for you to wait!" He heard Kagami say before he felt a hand clamp around his wrist. His head swiveled around so quickly, he was sure he'd almost given himself whiplash. Burgundy eyes were ablaze as he glared at Kuroko, who had little decency to blush at their close proximity.

"I heard you the first time." Kuroko muttered flatly, turning his head away. Kagami's scowl only grew.

"Then you should have stopped when I told you to." He snapped and tugged harshly on his wrist and began dragging him to his table, not caring in the slightest when Kuroko stumbled over his own feet.

Kuroko opened his mouth to protest when he was thrust into a chair, but was cut off from Kagami's death glare. A small part of him wondered if he'd found out about the drug dealing, the bigger part of him was raging from being treated like a life size doll.

"Where the hell have you been?" Kagami asked as he slumped into his own chair opposite of Kuroko. "I've been looking all over for you. Your boss said you were out running errands for him. What kinda errands where they?"

It was Kuroko's turn to scowl. He didn't like Kagami shooting off questions at him like this. It made him feel like he was being put on the spotlight.

"Fuck, just one question at a time." Kuroko sighed, trying to defuse some of the situation. "Like Shibata-san said, I was out running some errands for him. Nothing big, just a few things to be done here and there." He said it all with a causal shrug, as though it was nothing unusual for him. But there was a slight prickling at the back of his mind. He didn't like lying to Kagami, who wasn't really fond of liars. But he couldn't risk him finding out about what Shibata really had him doing.

Kagami stared at him for a long moment, eyes searching Kuroko's face. Kuroko blushed again, this time from the intensity of the stare. He thanked his lucky stars that the club was darkly lit, otherwise his blush would have been obvious enough for Kagami to notice.

"Fuck off, I don't need you prying into my personal life any more than what you already are. What goes on between Shibata and I isn't any of your business." Kuroko said and looked away.

Eyes were distracting to Kuroko, especially Kagami's. He could never decide if they were redder or browner. Often they were lit with blazing passion for something. In high school, that passion was for basketball. Now, it was something entirely different. And it puzzled Kuroko. To Kagami, nothing had been more important than basketball and beating the Generation of Miracles. Had Kagami changed too? Why? What could have possibly happened to his friend that could have changed that love for basketball? What—oh.

Kuroko started snickering, finding his own realization humorous. Kagami however, looked a little disturbed by the sudden laughter.

"What's so funny?" Kagami asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kuroko stopped laughing, but he still kept a cheerful smile. "Nothing, I just realized how hypocritical I am."

Kagami still looked confused, but grunted anyway and looked towards the crowd of dancing people. "Care to explain?"

"You've changed, Kagami-kun." Kuroko said simply, following his gaze.

"Yeah, maybe. But not as much as you have though." He said the last part softly, causing Kuroko to glance over at him for a second. Kuroko was surprised to see the sad look on his face.

"I had good reasons to change, Kagami-kun." Kuroko told him with a sad smile. He didn't have to look at Kagami to know he'd bristled at that.

"Why don't you tell me, Kuroko?" Kagami pressed, "What happened that was so bad, you couldn't even tell your own friends about. You couldn't tell _me _about."

He sounded hurt, but Kuroko couldn't find enough guilt inside him to tell his friend about the incident.

"It… was a private affair. It wasn't the kind of thing I wanted to inform my friends about." Kuroko's voice turned bitter, "I don't need anyone's pity."

"There's nothing wrong with pity, Kuroko. It just means we care, that we wish that it didn't happen."

"No, it means you see me as below yourself. As though I'm a lesser person than you." Kuroko snapped, his earlier irritation coming back.

Kagami's eyes hardened, and he tore his gaze away from the dancers to focus on Kuroko. His voice was firm when he spoke. "Right now, working in this club for that creep, you're already lower than us, Kuroko. We would have never seen you as a lesser person before, no matter what had happened. But you doing all this, working at some sleazy place for cheap, easy money? It's not really that hard to see you as a 'lesser person' as you called it. You're verging onto prostitution, Kuroko. Tell me, how much do people pay you for a private dance?"

Kagami's words stung and left Kuroko dumbfounded. His jaw had slackened and now hung open in shock. He hadn't been expecting something so harsh to come out of Kagami's mouth. But a part of him agreed that he deserved it. Kagami was hurt that he hadn't told him what had happened all those years ago.

Still, the force of Kagami's words had his mind reeling. Did Aomine and Akashi think of him as a prostitute? A whore, ready to sell his body to anyone who had enough cash. Did they tell the other about this? Did they think the same things, like how he was no better than the girls dancing on stage with nothing on?

As much as he wanted to pretend those words had no effect on him, he could already feel the tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. He had to look away from Kagami, to make sure he didn't see his emotional side. Never before had Kagami seen Kuroko cry, and Kuroko was determined to keep it that way. He was stronger than that. And who cared what the other's thought of him anyway? They knew nothing about his life. Not anymore. He wanted to tell Kagami this, but there was a lump in his throat that prevented him from doing so. And no matter how many times he swallowed, it would not go away.

When he finally regained his voice, he spoke softly, "You don't know anything."

Kagami snorted, oblivious to how much his words had hurt Kuroko. "You're right, I don't know anything. And whose faults that?"

Kuroko didn't answer; instead he focused on a small spot on the floor.

"Please, Kuroko. Just tell me what happened. I won't even tell the others if you don't want me to." If it had of been any other person, Kuroko would have sworn Kagami was begging. But this wasn't any other person. This _was _Kagami, the guy who'd never beg.

"No, Kagami-kun. Its better you didn't know." Kuroko said quietly, refusing to look at his friend.

"The hell it is," Kagami growled, "I'm your friend Kuroko, I'm not going to give up on you like that."

Kuroko finally faced him, his blue eyes meeting those oddly coloured ones. So much emotion lay in them, it made Kuroko feel a little dizzy just looking at them. They were so opposite, the two of them. Kagami was the light, while Kuroko was the shadow.

He would always be the shadow for Kagami, just like he'd promised.

**A/N:**

So…It's been a very eventful week for me. I lost my internet privileges because my Neanderthal of a father likes to bully small children. And I had to open my mouth and say something. It's funny when I call him a Neanderthal, and he gets so mad but has no idea what the word means. Jackass.

Also, I sliced my hand open at work on a knife. So I'm typing this all with One. Fucking. Hand. ONE HAND PEOPLE! ONE HAND! It's hard and tiring and goes on forever. Not to mention I still have to go to work, with this busted hand.

So that's why you shouldn't expect regular updates from now on. I have to sneak onto my step-dad's computer when he's at work and left it on.

Due to me being unable to see who reviewed, I'm just going to have to say **THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REVIEWING! **(I could still read the reviews, but I'm unable to go onto my step-dad's computer to write down the names on here)

You guys made my week so much better!

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to let of some steam.

Please, Review again. I'll try my very hardest to write faster if you do.


End file.
